Establishment of the Vultocinidae, a new family for an unusual new genus and new species of Indo-West Pacific crab (Crustacea: Decapoda: Brachyura: Goneplacoidea), with comments on the taxonomy of the Goneplacidae
Author
Ng, Peter K. L.
Author
Manuel-Santos, Marivene R.
text
Zootaxa
2007
1558
39
68
journal article
10.5281/zenodo.178296
0366c4ab-3941-4376-806f-6cf6e3d8c403
1175-5326
178296
Vultocinus
,
new genus
Diagnosis
. Entire dorsal carapace surface covered with short, stiff setae, with underlying complex pattern of ridges and grooves, regions well marked by high tuberculated and granulated swellings (
Figs. 2
,
3
A). Mandibles dark coloured even after in preservatives (
Fig. 8
A). Thoracic sternum relatively narrow transversely (
Fig. 9
A), sternite 3 with shallow median longitudinal groove (
Fig. 9
A), posterior edge of episternite 7 strongly produced posteriorly to form spur which reaches coxa of P5 (
Fig. 13
A, B). Meri of ambulatory legs with distinct median carinae, ventral margins of P2–P4 with 2 or 3 prominent perpendicular spines each (
Fig. 4
C, D). Male abdomen relatively narrow transversely (
Figs. 9
A, 10A), sutures for all somites and telson clearly visible but somites 3 and 4 immovable, fused, other somites freely articulating (
Fig. 5
B). G1 relatively slender, gently curved, surface with simple spines (
Fig. 5
C-F); G2 with distal segment short, about one-sixth length of basal segment (
Fig. 5
G, H).
Etymology
. The name is derived from the Latin
vultuosus
for “full of expression”, alluding to the distinctively marked carapace features of the
type
species. The name is an arbitrary combination with the Latin word for crab,
Carcinus
. Gender masculine.
Remarks
. See discussion for family.